the absurdity of the
second king. The present king is well educated, and also a progressive
man, as his father was not. I am sorry we did not look the matter up,
which we might easily have done with the assistance of the missionaries.
But I am satisfied that I was correct in regard to the statement."

In the course of another hour the ship came to the mouth of the river.
Crocodiles appear to prefer the mouth of a stream, and a considerable
number were seen at the entrance to a canal or cut-off. The pilot
stopped the screw, and backed it, in order to avoid a collision with a
couple of vessels in the channel. As the two vessels were under sail, it
looked as though it would be some time before the channel was clear; and
the "Big Four" hastened to their staterooms for their repeating-rifles.

Their appearance thus armed created a sensation on the upper deck, and
all the party secured positions where they could see the sport. Mrs.
Belgrave manifested some anxiety when she saw the arms, for she was
somewhat afraid of such weapons.

"What are you going to do, Louis?" she asked as her son passed her.

"Don't you see that there are a dozen crocodiles at the mouth of that
cut-off, mother?" replied Louis. "We are going to shoot some of them."

"But you can't get them if you do kill them."

"We don't want to get them. They are not good for anything to us."

"Then, why do you want to kill them? They do you no harm," protested the
lady.

"But they would if they got the chance. Suppose by any accident some one
should fall overboard; those brutes would snap the person up as a fish
snaps the bait," answered Louis. "In Borneo they are regular man-eaters,
more dangerous than sharks; and I have no doubt they are the same here.
As I told you, they pay so much a foot for killing them in that island.
Ask the pilot how it is here, mother."

Achang was called, and was asked to inquire of the Siamese if the
crocodiles were dangerous. He promptly replied that they were not only
dangerous, but a nuisance; for they went ashore and swallowed all small
animals, and even attacked a cow. The lady offered no further objection.
She only hoped the Nimrods would not shoot each other; and they
descended to the platform of the gangway, which had not yet been hoisted
up, and the crack of their rifles was soon heard.

Each of the rifles could send out nine bullets, fixed ammunition,
contained in cartridges, nine of which was the capacity of the magaz